This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
The Kherson Oblast sign is seen on Nov. 13, 2022 after Russia's retreat from Kherson. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast over the day on Jan. 31 injured three people, including two in Beryslav and one in Tiahynka, regional officials reported.
In the village of Tiahynka, a Russian attack hit a residential building and injured a 57-year-old man, according to the Kherson Oblast Military Administration.
The victim reportedly suffered a shrapnel wound to his arm and is being provided medical attention.
Tiahynka lies on the Ukrainian-held west bank of the Dnipro River, over 30 kilometers east of the regional center, Kherson.
Later the same day, a Russian drone targeted Beryslav, a town further 30 kilometers east of Tiahynka.
A 65-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman were injured while riding a motorcycle through the city, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.
Both victims were hospitalized with blast injuries and shrapnel wounds. They are in stable condition, Prokudin added.
The governor also said that overnight and on Jan. 30, Russian attacks against the oblast killed one person and injured two others. One more person was injured in Kherson early in the morning on Jan. 31.
Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the western bank of the Dnipro River in November 2022.
Russian troops were pushed to the eastern bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.
Illia Ponomarenko
